


Never Let Me Go

by shielddaddio



Category: Final Fantasy XV
Genre: Angst, Character Death, Death, I'm Sorry, Love Confessions, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-03-05
Updated: 2017-03-05
Packaged: 2018-09-28 11:46:10
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,252
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10099208
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/shielddaddio/pseuds/shielddaddio
Summary: Gladio hadn't given much thought to how he would die.





	

**Author's Note:**

> HI SO IM SORRY IF IT'S SHIT I JUST NEEDED TO GET THIS ONE OUT THERE
> 
> I LOVE MY SWEET BOY GLADIO 
> 
> TELL ME WHAT YOU THINK

**_When the night has come_ **   
**_And the land is dark_ **   
**_And the moon is the only light we'll see_ **   
**_No, I won't be afraid_ **   
**_Oh, I won't be afraid_ **

 

_“Stay with me. Come on, just a little longer.”_

 

Gladio hadn’t really put much thought into how he would die.

He always knew there was a chance of death when it came to being the shield to a prince, but he didn’t think it would be so soon.

He was naive to think he would die of old age, maybe he had married and had children to carry on his name and stories he shared with them. It was a good, just foolish thought he had had.

He didn’t think it would end like this.

 

**_Just as long as you stand_ **   
**_Stand by me_ **

  
So much was happening around him, yet his body refused to move.

He felt the tears slowly begin to flow down his cheeks, realising he wasn’t going to make it out of this. He was crying for Ignis, crying for how strong his friend was. He had known Ignis for almost his whole life, he didn’t remember a day he didn’t see him. He was his best friend if he had to square it down to something.

_Ignis, my brother I’m sorry_

 

  
He felt his heart ache at the thought of Noctis.

He watched Noctis grow into the man he was today. Watched him grow from a spoilt brat to a strong and capable king. He felt his heart begin to swell with pride as he thought of his friend- no, his brother. He thought back to him walking away from them, for the final time. Gladio’s brain screamed at him to follow, to protect his prince with everything he had. Protect him until he could no longer stand, until his last breath. But he knew he could not follow his prince into what faced him, he had to face it alone. Gladio simply watched on as the once little boy he promised to protect walked to his death.

He felt like he failed.

_Forgive me Noctis_

 

**_If the sky that we look upon_ **   
**_Should tumble and fall_ **   
**_Or the mountain should crumble to the sea_ **

 

  
_“Please don’t leave me, not now.”_

As he swung his sword, his mind drifted to the boy fighting along side him. Prompto.

Sweet and kind Prompto.

He wished he had told him how he felt for him. Wish he could press his lips upon his, just once.

He had ten years to tell him, he could have told him so much in that time.

He remembers the first time he laid eyes on the blond. He was happy Noctis had found a friend but of course, he was curious about him. He didn’t trust as easily as Noct did, Gladio didn’t want him getting hurt. But as the years went on, he grew fonder of Prompto. It wasn’t until Prompto was seventeen that Gladio realised he felt something deeper than friendship for him. He remembers all four of them being at a small bar, which was a bad idea in itself but Noct insisted they venture out and try something different, much to Ignis’s protests.

Gladio had sat and watched Prompto walk up to the bar, having offered to get them some drinks to start the night. He could see from the corner of his eyes a group of men looking over at him, making the hair on the back of his neck stand up. One of the men from the group wandered over to him, leaning against the bar so he was facing the smaller men, a smirk on his lips. Gladio couldn’t tell what was being said but as soon as the scum put his hand on the young boy, Gladio’s pushed himself up from the table.

“There a problem here?” he had growled out.

The men’s smirk disappeared as he sized Gladio up, seeing very well he wouldn’t win against him. The men let go of Prompto, stalking back to his group across the bar.

Gladio remembered looking down, “You okay?”

His heart began beating faster as Prompto’s eyes met his, a small smile forming on his face. He tilted his head to the side and giggled, “Thanks Gladdy.”

All he had said was thank you and Gladio was ready to do whatever Prompto wished.

They could have had a good life together or at least they could have had some time together. He wanted to see the blonde laugh, he wanted to be the reason behind it. He wanted to hold him in his darkest moments, to cradle him in his arms and tell him everything was going to be okay. He wanted to make the blonde come apart in his hands, please him with his mouth and tongue. Worship him because that’s what you do when you have someone like Prompto in your life.

 

_**I won't cry, I won't cry** _   
**_No, I won't shed a tear_ **   
**_Just as long as you stand_ **   
**_Stand by me_ **

 

He shook his head at the memory, swiftly dodging an attack. He needed to stop thinking, he just needed to do. He had to focus on getting these two out of here, had to focus on protecting their King.

“Hey Gladdy!” a shout came from his right, interrupting his thoughts. His eyes shot over to the blonde’s.

Even in battle, he always wore that smile so beautifully.

“I think-“ Prompto paused, moving out of the way of an attack. “I know we probably won’t make it out of this-“

“Don’t say something like that! You’re gonna make it kid.” Even if it kills him, Gladio was getting Prompto and Ignis out of this.

“Not without you!” Prompto protested. Gladio paused his movements, heart stopping.

“What I was trying to say, was that if we make it out of this, you can buy me dinner.”

Gladio chuckled, stabbing the beast in front of him in the arm. It coward away from him quickly, moving to stand behind the other two.

“I always buy your cheap ass dinner.”

“I meant as in a date Gladdy.” Prompts’s bright smile lit up the dark surroundings.

 

Gladio felt his heart stop. It felt as though they were back in that shitty bar, bodies so close together. That same smile.

  
Before he could answer, he could see the beast he had stabbed move over to Prompto. Gladio ran as fast as his legs would carry him, his muscles screaming for him to stop but he couldn’t. He placed himself in front of Prompto, blocking the blow with his sword and yelling out.

“You can’t protect me from everything!” Prompto screamed, grabbing hold of Gladio’s arm to steady him.

“I’ll sure as hell try to.”

“Whose gonna protect you?”

“I don’t need protecting! I’m the fucking shield Prompto, the shield shouldn’t need protection!” This had been drilled into Gladio’s head most of his life. From his father, from the guards, from the King.

“Gladio! Prompto! Look out!” a shout from Ignis called.

 

Everything seemed to travel in slow motion. Or was it fast motion? Whatever it was, he knew he couldn't stop. Gladio looked to see both beasts facing him, charging towards him.

 

This looked like it was it. He was facing his certain death.

He closed his eyes, Prompto’s face coming to mind as he began to move his arms, lifting his mighty sword.

 

But nothing came.

 

He paused, his eyes slowly opening.

He wished he didn’t open his eyes.

In front of him was Prompto, that fucking smile on his lips.

But blood joined his smile.

Gladio’s wide eyes moved to Prompto’s stomach, a large hole now running through him. He watched as Prompto began to fall, his arms moving to catch him in his arms, legs giving way as they fell to the floor.

He didn’t care about the beasts, didn’t care if they were coming after them again. All he cared about was Prompto.

“No no no no no, Prompto no.” He stuttered out to himself, pushing his blond hair from his eyes.

“Gladdy?” he whispered out, coughing up more and more blood.

Gladio shook his head, “Don’t speak, save your strength.”

Prompto shook his head, a sad smile now on his lips. “I wish we had more time.”

A sob escaped Gladio’s lips, “We have time, we have all the time in the world.”

This couldn’t be happening. Why was this happening to him? Did he do something so bad in his previous life that the Gods wanted to punish him in this one? He would give up so much if it meant he could stop this from happening. Take him, take him instead. Not Prompto, anyone but.

 

“Stay with me. Come on, just a little longer.” Gladio sobbed into Prompto’s chest, holding him closer to his body.

 

“Hurts. Really fucking hurts.” Prompto breathed out, his hand slowly moving to push Gladio from his chest, his hand cupping Gladio’s wet cheek.

 

“Please don’t leave me, not now.”

 

“We knew we weren’t going to make it out alive.”

“But you were! I promised myself I would get you and Ignis out.” Gladio shouted, leaning into Prompto’s touch.

“Gladio, someone needed to be your shield and I’m going to die a happy man knowing it was me.”

Gladio shook his head, “You can’t say shit like that then leave me. Don’t you dare leave me now Prompto.”

Prompto let out another cough then a loud gasp, “I-I”

“I love you. I love you I love you I love you so much.” Gladio cried, holding Prompto’s hand against his cheek. A broken laugh came from Prompto, his lips coloured in red. His eyes began to close slowly.

“You always had shitty timing,” he breathed out.

Gladio’s laugh was forced out of him, his eyes falling shut. He knew that, he knew this was the worst time to be confessing his love for Prompto. But he was scared, so fucking scared.

  
**_And darlin', darlin'_ **   
**_Stand by me, oh, stand by me_ **   
**_Oh, stand now, stand by me_ **   
**_Stand by me_ **

 

“I love you too ya know?”

 

Gladio’s eyes shot open.

Prompto’s eyes were still closed, but he was still breathing. But only just. Prompto let out another loud cough, almost sounding as if he was choking. Trying to breath.

“This-“ Prompto paled. “This is it Gladdy. I see Luna. She has her hand out for me to take.”

“Not yet please. Gods please not yet. I’m not ready, fuck!” Gladio cried out, moving his hand to rest on either side of Prompto’s face. He leant down, crashing his lips to Prompto’s. This wasn’t what he imagined their first kiss to be but it’s what fate had dealt them. He felt Prompto kiss back slightly, mustering up all his energy into this one kiss, his final kiss. Gladio poured all the angry and love he was feeling in this moment into the kiss, trying to show Prompto how much he loved him. He didn’t care that he could taste blood, didn’t care that they needed to come up for air at some point. All they wanted was to share their final moments with a kiss. It was Prompto to pull away first, a bloody smile still left on his face.

“It’s gonna be okay Gladdy,”

Gladio continued to cry and mutter to the Gods. Praying this wasn’t the end. He was meant to die, it was meant to be him first. Not Ignis, not Noctis and not fucking Prompto.

He felt Prompto go limp in his arms, his chest no longer rising and falling.

He was gone.

  
**_Whenever you're in trouble, won't you stand by me?_ **   
_**Oh, stand by me** _

 

If it was possible, Gladio pulled Prompto's body closer to his chest, his sobs breaking out into loud cries. He was gone. Everything that was Prompto was gone, taken from him. The boy that was once just Noctis's friend, the boy that could light up a room with the simple turn of his lips.

He felt empty.

His mouth fell open, a scream escaping him. A scream of pain, a scream of hurt, a scream of longing.

He let Prompto’s body go slowly, kissing his forehead and standing up. He let the love of his life die, he wasn’t going to add brother to the list.

“I’ll see you in a moment my love.” he whispered, looking up to the dark sky.

Gladio looked down form the sky and watched as Ignis struggled to get himself together, slicing his daggers through the air to fend off the beasts. Picking up his sword he took off in a sprint towards the battle, towards his death.

Towards his love.

 

**_Won't you stand now?_ **

 

Gladio hadn’t really put much thought into how he would die.

As he and Ignis fought along side one another, Gladio decided he was almost ready for death to take his hand.

He deserved to be selfish in his final moment. But yet, his thoughts weren't about himself.

He swung his sword for Ignis, hoping to buy him more time in this life.

He swung his sword for his princ- no, his King, praying to the Gods that they gave him a better life in the next.

He stabbed the beast for his father, praying he didn't completely fail him.

He was struck across the chest for Prompto, smiling that this final blow took Gladio to him.

  
**_Oh, stand, stand by me_ **   
**_When all of our friends is gone_ **

 


End file.
